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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24770266">The Lava Bender &amp; The Banished Prince</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astrea_Dusk_Dawn/pseuds/Astrea_Dusk_Dawn'>Astrea_Dusk_Dawn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Attempt at Humor, F/M, Fanfiction, Gen, Humor, Inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Love, Multi, My First Fanfic, Original Character(s), Other, POV Original Female Character, POV Zuko (Avatar), Romance, Slow Burn, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:46:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,284</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24770266</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astrea_Dusk_Dawn/pseuds/Astrea_Dusk_Dawn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jasmine was only a child when the Fire Nation attacked. They burned down her home and killed her parents. She was taken and forced to work on the same ship as Prince Zuko. Over time she and Zuko became friends but when the Avatar is discovered Jasmine is torn between helping the last air bender on his quest and her feelings for the banished prince. (Zuko x OC) (ATLA Fanfic)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Raid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jasmine couldn't breathe.</p>
<p>Her lungs were full of smoke. She coughed as she stumbled through her home trying to find her parents.</p>
<p>"Jasmine! Where are you?" her father called out.</p>
<p>"Here!" yelled.</p>
<p>Jasmine's dad made his way to her and led them both out of the house where her mother was waiting. She ran to Jasmine and squeezed her in a tight hug.</p>
<p>"What's going on?" Jasmine asked panic lacing every word. She knew that there could only be one reason for the smoke, but she didn't want to face that truth.</p>
<p>"It's the Fire Nation. They're attacking the village," Jasmine's mum said confirming her fears. "You need to go to the ostrich horse stables. All the kids are hiding there."</p>
<p>But Jasmine shook her head, "What about you and dad?"</p>
<p>"Your father and I are going to protect the village. You need to hide but we'll come and get you once it's safe."</p>
<p>"No, I want to fight with you!" Jasmine protested.</p>
<p>Her dad bent down and looked her in the eye.</p>
<p>"Don't worry my little flower we'll be okay. Besides we need you to protect the rest of the kids in case anything goes wrong. You're the best earth bender in the whole village. Except for me of course," he said with a smile but it didn't reach his eyes.</p>
<p>"You promise you'll come back for me?"</p>
<p>Her mother bent down as well, "We promise," </p>
<p>Tears rolled down Jasmine's cheeks. She hugged her parents before running off to the stables. She tried not to look behind as she sprinted away from her mum and dad, wiping the tears off her face.</p>
<p>Once she had made it to the stables, she walked through the large group of village children who were huddled together inside on the hay covered floor.</p>
<p>All of them were younger children Jasmine realized. There were no teens, they must have been fighting with the other adults. This made her angry. Although she was only twelve, she was a better bender then any of the older kids. She should be out there fighting.</p>
<p>Pushing aside her anger, Jasmine climbed up one of the poles that held up the stable. On the stable's ceiling, there was a hatch that you could open which would lead you up onto the roof. She had discovered it while playing hide and seek when she was younger.</p>
<p>Jasmine sat down on the roof. From the top of it, you could see the entire Earth Kingdom village.</p>
<p>On a normal night, the view would be of small houses, most of them dark but a few still with lights flickering inside them, and of stars shining radiant over the village. It would usually be beautiful.</p>
<p>But tonight, all Jasmine could see were houses being raided and then burnt to the ground, the sky choked by smoke, not a signal shimmering star in sight. </p>
<p>Jasmine still believed that the village could be saved and the Fire Nation soldiers defeated. If anybody could take them down, it was her parents. They were the strongest benders in the Earth Kingdom, perhaps in all the world now the avatar was gone.</p>
<p>Jasmine's mother and father were able to bend lava. It was extremely rare that an earth bender could begin to bend lava let alone master it, but both her parents had been able to do that and more.</p>
<p>With their abilities, her parents could have become rich, famous warriors, maybe even lived in the upper ring of Ba Sing Se. But they had wanted a quiet life, so they became farmers in a humble Earth Kingdom village far away from the walls of the impenetrable city despite their incredible powers.</p>
<p>Maybe that's why there were so many soldiers Jasmine thought with a pang of fear. Maybe Fire Nation had discovered that her parents were here. If her parents joined the fight against the Fire Nation, they would become a serious threat. Maybe the Firelord wanted to get rid of that threat.</p>
<p>Jasmine managed to catch sight of her parents below, molten lava swirling them. Every soldier that came across them was swiftly defeated.</p>
<p>Jasmine smiled. She had nothing to worry about. Nobody could stop her parents.</p>
<p>But Jasmine's smile was soon wiped away and replaced with cold dread.</p>
<p>Hundreds of Fire Nation soldiers appeared seemingly out of nowhere surrounding her mum and dad. It was a trap.</p>
<p>Too many, there were too many of them. Not even benders as powerful as her parents could last long against those numbers. Her parents had to have realized that too, but they kept fighting. Fire Nation soldiers fell but more kept coming.</p>
<p>Then all of a sudden, the enemy soldiers took a stance, ready to aim.</p>
<p>One second Jasmine's mother and father were there and the next a large inferno blistered through the air.</p>
<p>When the fire had vanished all that remained was ashes. Jasmine's parents were gone.</p>
<p>"No!" she screamed standing up on the roof, heavy grief wrapping its way around her heart. </p>
<p>But Jasmine had no time to cry. If the Fire Nation soldiers had heard about her parents, then they were coming for her next.</p>
<p>And she wasn't going without a fight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A/N</p>
<p>This story can also be found on quotev and Wattpad. I apologize in advance for any bad writing I may subject you to. Please feel free to point out any spelling/grammar mistakes and to share and like my story.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Honor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zuko being angsty (so basically his usual self).</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zuko was going to regain his honor.</p>
<p>He didn't care what he had to do. He would scour every inch of the four nations and would not stop until the avatar was captured. Until he was returned to his father's side.</p>
<p>Zuko stood on the deck of an old Fire nation steamship, today he set sail. The ship itself was incredibly outdated and small. The crew made up of unexperienced Fire Nation soldiers, unwanted sailors, and Earth Kingdom slaves. But at least now Zuko could travel further and faster. Soon enough the avatar would be his, he was sure of it.</p>
<p>"Zuko!" his uncle, Iroh, chimed. "Aren't you excited to travel. The fresh sea breeze, beautiful blue seas, bustling ports. And I'm sure we'll be able to find all kinds of exotic teas on our way."</p>
<p>"We're not here to drink tea, this isn't some holiday. We're here to capture the avatar and regain my honor," Zuko snapped.</p>
<p>Iroh sighed, "Zuko you've been searching for months now. The chances of us finding him are very slim."</p>
<p>"You can give up if you want but I won't until I see the last air bender in chains."</p>
<p>Iroh sighed yet again, "We are about to depart. Would you like to say anything to the crew before we leave?"</p>
<p>Zuko nodded and went over to where the ship's crew had lined up.</p>
<p>He walked along the line sparing the briefest glances at the wimpy young soldiers and worn-out old men. He stopped however when he saw one person in the line different to the rest.</p>
<p>She was the only girl in the crew and the youngest, around his own age. She was fairly short and looked extremely underfed. She wasn't what you would call pretty but she was striking. And for some strange reason her body was completely covered in fabric despite the hot weather, the only thing left uncovered was her face. That wasn't what caught his attention though. It was her eyes.</p>
<p>The girl was clearly from the Earth Kingdom, probably a slave but those eyes looked like they belonged to the Fire Nation. No, they were unlike anything he had ever seen. They looked like molten lava and almost seemed to move and glow  But it wasn't only the color of her eyes that caused him to freeze where he stood.</p>
<p>They were filled with rage. Nobody had ever looked at him with that much anger and disgust before, not even his father or sister. This girl seemed like she was just about ready to murder him.</p>
<p>Zuko snapped out of the trance the girl's eyes appeared to have put him under and began speaking to the entire crew.</p>
<p>"You are all here to help me capture the avatar," Zuko said but the crew started snickering. They didn't believe that it was possible to capture the avatar, some didn't even believe he existed at all after all this time.</p>
<p>Zuko clenched his jaw and fists but continued, "I am sure that we will able to find him and return him to my father, the Fire Lord. I-"</p>
<p>But the crew were cackling now. Anger burning through him, Zuko saw that the Earth Kingdom girl laughing the hardest. For some reason, this made him even more infuriated.</p>
<p>"Enough!" he roared. "I am your prince. I demand your respect!"</p>
<p>"You're not though," a voice said, the girl.</p>
<p>"What!" Zuko hissed whirling to face her.</p>
<p>"You're not the prince anymore. You've been banished, you're no longer the heir to the throne. Why should we give you our respect? You have no power to demand it and you most certainly haven't earned it," she stated, her eyes defiant and burning.</p>
<p>Zuko walked over to the girl and only stopped when he was mere inches away from her face. He created a fire in his hand and put it beside her face. The girl's eyes immediately lost their stubborn spark and filled with fear.</p>
<p>"I suggest that you show me some respect," Zuko said then turned to the rest of the crew. "That goes for all of you."</p>
<p>The crew had gone quiet, nobody was laughing now. The girl left the line and quickly walked away. The rest of the crew dispersed as well going to get the ship ready to depart.</p>
<p>Zuko was pleased that he got to the crew. If they didn't respect him at least they would fear him.</p>
<p>A weird feeling churned inside him though when he thought about how he acted with the girl. What was it? Guilt? That couldn't be it. She'd questioned his authority and humiliated him in front of everyone. She was Earth Kingdom scum and she deserved what she got. But still, the fear in her eyes when he had spoken to her before...</p>
<p>Zuko shook his head and walked over to the edge of the deck. The ship had begun to sail off. He had no time to worry about the slave girl, he had to regain his honor.</p>
<p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p>
<p>Zuko sat in his quarters on the ship. They'd been sailing for weeks now and still had not come any closer to capturing the avatar.</p>
<p>It was almost dinner time, one of his least favorite times of the day now because of the girl. She worked in the ship's kitchen and had to bring him breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each time she did she would slam his tray of food down in front of him and glared at him with her fierce eyes. He hated it.</p>
<p>Tonight, was no different. She sped into the room, dropped the plate before him, sent him a hateful look, and turned around to leave.</p>
<p>But before she could Zuko sprang up and asked, "What's your problem with me?"</p>
<p>The girl froze.</p>
<p>"Don't flatter yourself my problem isn't only with you it's with your entire nation. You, I just so happen to despise a little bit more than the usual Fire Nation monster."</p>
<p>"But I've done nothing to you. I bet most of my people who you despise haven't done anything to you either."</p>
<p>The girl turned around her molten eyes locking with his.</p>
<p>"Your people burn and raid my people's homes. They steal men away from their families, turn women into widows and children into orphans. Your people are all the same; greedy, heartless monsters and you are the prince of them."</p>
<p>"You don't know what you are talking about," Zuko said quietly.</p>
<p>The girl just turned around left.</p>
<p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p>
<p>It was late night now. The moon shone on the ocean's dark waters creating a beautiful mosaic of light.</p>
<p>Zuko had decided to go for a walk on the ship's deck to clear his head from any thoughts of the Earth Kingdom slave. What she said about his people couldn't be true. The Fire Nation was helping the other nations. She was just a delusional girl.</p>
<p>Zuko stopped in his tracks because leaning against the edge of the ship's railing was that exact girl.</p>
<p>He was about to turn around and go back to his quarters when he saw the girl didn't have her usual clothes on. Normally she would wear fabric over her entire body and now he saw why.</p>
<p>Burn scars covered every inch of her body. Her hands, her arms, her legs, her neck. No wonder she looked so scared when he held fire right next to her. She was afraid of being burned again.</p>
<p>"Where did you get those scars?" Zuko knew he probably shouldn't have asked but he needed to know.</p>
<p>He saw the girl's body tense and prepared for an onslaught of shouting but she only said, "Where did you get yours?"</p>
<p>Zuko stood in silence for a while before he finally answered, "My father. My father gave it to me."</p>
<p>Whatever the girl expected him to say it wasn't that. She turned around and looked at him, not with hate this time but something else.</p>
<p>"Why would he do that?" she questioned.</p>
<p>"I spoke out of turn, I disrespected him so he challenged me to a duel. When I wouldn't fight him, he burned me as punishment...how were you burned?"</p>
<p>The girl turned away from him and looked up at the moon, "By Fire Nation soldiers. They burned me after they attacked my village and killed my parents."</p>
<p>Zuko was struck silent again.</p>
<p>"What were the names of the people who did this to you? Maybe I could-"</p>
<p>"I saw hundreds of Fire Nation soldiers burn others like me. Do you want me to give you their names as well? What could you do then?"</p>
<p>"I...I'm sorry for what happened to you. The burns, your village, your parents," he stuttered.</p>
<p>The girl turned and looked at Zuko straight in his eyes. They were ablaze but there was no fury in them, only sadness.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry about your father," she said.</p>
<p>Before Zuko left the girl, he asked, "What's your name?"</p>
<p>"Jasmine."</p>
<p>"Goodnight Jasmine."</p>
<p>"Goodnight your royal flameyness."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mysterious light in the sky. *Sarcastic Gasp*. I wonder what it could be.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p>
<p>Jasmine:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been three years since she set sail on a Fire Nation ship to assist the banished prince in finding the avatar and Jasmine was getting sick of water.</p>
<p>As an earth bender being cramped up on a small vessel in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight wasn't exactly a great time for her. Nobody knew that she was a bender though. After what happened to her parents revealing her true abilities was too dangerous.</p>
<p>When the attack on her village had finished, the same soldiers who killed Jasmine's mother and father for their lava bending wanted to know if she was a lava bender was herself. She told them she didn't have their skills even though some soldiers swore they saw her bending when they captured her. They bribed her, starved her, tortured her all in an attempt to get her to admit to some rare set of powers. Jasmine gave away nothing though. After a while, they gave up and she was eventually sent to a Fire Nation prison and then here to the ship.</p>
<p>Jasmine shivered and hugged herself tight. They had begun traveling to the Southern Water Tribe in search of the avatar. Zuko still hadn't given up on his quest to capture them. He was so stubborn sometimes she was surprised that he wasn't an earth bender. To be fair though she herself had such a hot temper that she could be a fire bender.</p>
<p>"Jasmine!" a voice called.</p>
<p>She turned around to see Iroh and smiled.</p>
<p>When Jasmine first met Iroh she didn't know who he was, she thought he was just some unfortunate servant to the prince. He was the first person to show her kindness since she was captured. He bought her cups of tea and sung songs with her. Jasmine would sneak him extra food from the kitchen and tell him old Earth Kingdom stories.</p>
<p>Jasmine almost didn't believe it when she heard that he was the Fire Lord's brother. But she didn't hold that against him. She always thought that it would be impossible to feel anything but hate towards somebody from the Fire Nation, but it was impossible to hate someone as sweet as Iroh.</p>
<p>"Would you like to play a game of Pai Sho?" Iroh said gesturing to a table on the ship's deck set up with Pai Sho pieces.</p>
<p>Jasmine accepted the invitation, sat down, and began playing.</p>
<p>As she placed her first piece down, she looked over to see Zuko standing at the edge of the deck staring out at their surroundings with a telescope.</p>
<p>Unlike Iroh, Zuko had taken a much longer time to warm up to. </p>
<p>Jasmine loathed Zuko at first. To serve the son of the man who ordered the destruction of everything she loved was too much.  And besides, the banished prince always looked down on her and called her names. "Earth Kingdom scum" or sometimes just "dirt". She would call him names as well, her favorite's being "royal pain in the neck" or "prince fire face". Not very mature but fun to say.</p>
<p>The names had stopped however when he saw her scars one night and they had exchanged their stories. That night he asked for her real name and since then only addressed her with it. Jasmine still continued calling him names though but the usual sting in her words was gone.</p>
<p>She couldn't hate him and although it took years, they eventually became what some people might call friends.</p>
<p>Jasmine felt a strange feeling in her chest as she looked at Zuko. She recently had been having unwelcome thoughts about them becoming more then friends. She saw Zuko turn around and glance at her for a second. She felt her cheeks flush as she quickly averted her gaze and continued the game.</p>
<p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p>
<p>Jasmine and Iroh were only a few rounds in when a giant beam of light erupted into the sky.</p>
<p>Zuko looked at where it was coming from through his telescope.</p>
<p>"Finally! Do you realize what this means?" he shouted turning to face them.</p>
<p>"That we won't get to finish our game," grumbled Iroh.</p>
<p>"No. It means my search for the avatar is about to come to an end. The light must have come from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!" Zuko cried.</p>
<p>"Or it's just the celestial lights. We have been down this road before, I don't want you to get excited over nothing."</p>
<p>Jasmine knew Iroh was right. The avatar had been missing for a hundred years, they weren't about to just find the last air bender now. This would only lead to more disappointment.</p>
<p>"Why don't you join in the next round of Pai Sho?" Jasmine suggested.</p>
<p>"I don't have time to play games, Jasmine! I need to capture the avatar. Go and tell the captain to head towards the light," Zuko demanded.</p>
<p>Jasmine clenched her fists and got up. Normally she was one of the only people able to get Zuko to calm down but whenever he got the thought that the avatar was near into his hot head there was no way to reason with him.</p>
<p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p>
<p>The sun was setting. They had been traveling towards where the light had first been spotted for hours.</p>
<p>Jasmine leaned against the doorway to one of the above decks that overlooked the main deck below.</p>
<p>She watched as Iroh and Zuko seemed to have quite a heated discussion. Their argument ended and Iroh turned around and saw her. He gave her a sad smile before passing her into the ship's inner hallways.</p>
<p>"What was that about?" Jasmine asked walking to Zuko.</p>
<p>"Uncle doesn't believe that I can capture the avatar," Zuko huffed.</p>
<p>"But what if he's right?"</p>
<p>"I knew you wouldn't believe in me either."</p>
<p>"It's not that," Jasmine said. "It's the fact that no one has seen the avatar in over a hundred years."</p>
<p>"But I need to find him. I'm never going to gain my father's approval without the avatar," Zuko argued.</p>
<p>Jasmine was sick of hearing him talk about his father.</p>
<p>"Why do you need your father's approval so bad? If you ask me the approval of a monster who burns his own son just to make a point isn't worth all this effort!" she insisted.</p>
<p>"My father isn't a monster."</p>
<p>"Well even if he wasn't you still need to stop this obsession with your honor!"</p>
<p>"You wouldn't understand," Zuko muttered.</p>
<p>Jasmine crossed her arms, "Why? Because I'm just some lowly earth village peasant?"</p>
<p>Zuko's face flustered, "No, no. That wasn't what I meant!"</p>
<p>Jasmine's face softened and she uncrossed her arms,</p>
<p>"I know it wasn't it's just...it's late. Make sure to get some rest," she said placing a hand on his shoulder.</p>
<p>Jasmine looked into his gold eyes that shined in the sunset. Eyes that had seemed to be heavy and filled with burden ever since she first met him. She felt a strong urge to hug him, comfort him, kiss him-</p>
<p>No! Bad urge, she thought and quickly took her hand off his shoulder and walked away.</p>
<p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p>
<p>The next morning Jasmine watched on the main deck as Zuko practiced his fire bending with Iroh. It was scary to her just how powerful he was. It would only take half a thought and could quickly end someone. Jasmine tried not to think like that. Zuko wasn't like the soldiers who killed her parents. He wouldn't hurt people...</p>
<p>All of a sudden, a giant red flare flew into the sky from an abandoned Fire Nation warship in the distance.</p>
<p>Zuko ran to grab a telescope and pointed it in the flare's direction.</p>
<p>"It's the last air bender. He's quite agile for his old age but it's him," Zuko said.</p>
<p>Jasmine froze, stunned. The avatar was still alive. </p>
<p>Dread filled Jasmine. If the last air bender was captured, he would be imprisoned or killed. Then he could never defeat the Fire Lord and bring back balance and peace.</p>
<p>Zuko didn't share her worries though, "I can't believe it. I've found the avatar...as well as his hiding place."</p>
<p>Jasmine looked at where Zuko was pointing his telescope. In the distance, she could make out a small village.</p>
<p>Jasmine felt herself fill with dread again. What would happen to the villagers? Would they be punished for helping hide the avatar?</p>
<p>Jasmine left the main deck and made her way to the servant quarters inside the ship. She didn't want to watch as her friend captured the avatar. She didn't want to see that side of him. Once she made it to the quarters, she sat down on her hard bed a closed her eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Avatar Returns</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Reread the title.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p><p>Jasmine:</p><p> </p><p>"Tea?" Iroh offered Jasmine, coming into the servant's quarters with two steaming cups of tea balanced on a tray.</p><p>She smiled and took a cup grateful for the distraction.</p><p>Iroh always knew just what to do whenever Jasmine got nervous or upset. When she was younger and had nightmares about her parent's death he would come and help dry her tears. He became almost like a second father to her during those times.</p><p>So, they just sat there in peaceful silence drinking their tea.</p><p>But that peace didn't last long.</p><p>"The avatar has been captured!" A member of the crew declared, bursting into the quarters.</p><p>A grim look covered Iroh's face. He set down his cup of tea and followed the crew member. But Jasmine just stayed still for a couple more minutes letting the information sink in.</p><p>He'd done it. Zuko had actually captured the avatar.</p><p>Jasmine wanted to stay frozen and ignore the ugly truth but then she heard commotion coming from outside the room.</p><p>Jasmine hopped off her bed and peered out of the servant's quarters to see a strange young boy being chased down the hallway by some of the ship's soldiers.</p><p>"The avatar has escaped!" one of them cried.</p><p>Wait that boy was the Avatar? That wasn't possible, Jasmine thought. The Avatar was meant to be a hundred years old, the boy had to only be a few years younger than her.</p><p>Jasmine looked further down the hallway at trying to get a better glimpse of the avatar. He was bald with a blue arrow tattooed on his forehead and wore the yellow and orange robes of the air nomads.</p><p>Jasmine decided to run to the ship's main deck. Maybe she could find Iroh there and he could explain what was going on.</p><p>Once she made it to the deck it was clear the everything was descending into chaos. Soldiers were sprinting around frantically trying to find the avatar and nobody seemed to know what to do.</p><p>Jasmine stumbled around looking for Iroh but stop when she spotted a strange figure on one of the ship's upper decks.</p><p>It was the boy and he had a strange staff in his hands. He opened it up to become a glider and jumped off the deck. It looked like he was going to get away, but Jasmine noticed another figure, Zuko.</p><p>He ran and jumped as well, grabbing the avatar's leg sending them both stumbling towards the main deck below.</p><p>They both hit the deck hard and tumbled across it. They should've been hurt from the fall but they both quickly got up.</p><p>Zuko took a fighting stance that Jasmine had seen him take many times before in his training. He looked like he was ready to attack but then a strange roar sounded from above.</p><p>"What is that?" Zuko exclaimed in disbelief.</p><p>Jasmine looked up to the sky to see a large, furry beast flying towards the ship. It was an air bison. Jasmine had heard about them in stories, they were the creatures who taught the Air Nomads to bend. It was covered in the same strange arrows as the avatar and seemed to have two people riding it on some massive saddle.</p><p>"Appa!" the boy called out. So that was the bison's name.</p><p>The avatar looked up at Appa, a smile on his face.</p><p>Zuko however took advantage of the young air bender's distracted state.</p><p>Jasmine watched in horror as Zuko shot flame after flame at the boy. He tried to defend himself but only ended up toppling over the side of the ship.</p><p>Jasmine rushed over to the edge of the deck not fully believing what Zuko had just done. She watched as the boy's small body sunk into the arctic water below debating whether or not she should jump in after him. She didn't know how to swim but she couldn't just let the avatar die.</p><p>Before Jasmine could do anything a giant spiral of water burst up, the avatar in its center. He towered above them, tattoos and eyes glowing white.</p><p>He landed on the ship, water floating around him. Zuko and the other Fire Nation soldiers all took a fighting stance but before they could do anything the avatar bent the water outwards pushing them off the ship and into the water. Amazingly Jasmine was spared.</p><p>As soon as the avatar had finished bending, he stopped glowing and collapsed.</p><p>Jasmine rushed over to him to make sure he wasn't hurt.</p><p>The air bison landed before them on the ship and Jasmine was able to better see the two people riding him.</p><p>They were both clearly Water Tribe. One was a girl that looked to be a year or two younger than Jasmine. She was quite beautiful with deep blue eyes and her hair tied back in a long braid, hair loops on either side of her face. The other was a boy who was around Jasmine's age, maybe a year younger at most. He was lanky and had the same blue eyes as the girl. His hair was pulled back into a short ponytail with both sides of his head shaved.</p><p>"Aang! Aang!" The girl cried out, panicked.</p><p>The girl and boy both hopped off the creature and came rushing over to the avatar. They stopped when they saw Jasmine kneeling next to the boy.</p><p>"And who are you?!" the Water Tribe boy demanded, pointing his finger right in Jasmine's face.</p><p>"That doesn't matter right now. I think your friend needs some help," she said.</p><p>The Water Tribe boy narrowed his eyes but went to the avatar's side, the girl following.</p><p>Jasmine got up and took a step back, giving the people some space.</p><p>"Hey Katara, hey Sokka," the boy said weakly. Whatever he did before must have used up a lot of his energy.</p><p>The two Water Tribe people, Katara and Sokka, helped the avatar to his feet. The boy looked at Jasmine.</p><p>"Thank you for helping me. I'm Aang, who are you?" He asked.</p><p>"I'm Jasmine. I'm a...a prisoner of the Fire Nation," she sputtered out.</p><p>"Well we are just about to head off," Aang said gesturing to Appa. "You can catch a ride with us if you want."</p><p>Jasmine was struck frozen again. Free. She was about to be free.</p><p>But what about Iroh, what about Zuko, a voice inside her head said. They were her friends after all. She could stay on the ship, stay with Zuko. But then what? Watch as he hunted the Aang, attacked innocent people like he did today. And once Zuko returned the avatar to his father, she would never see him again. She would become the servant of some insufferable rich Fire Nation family for the rest of her life. Forced to see her people enslaved overtime.</p><p>If she went with the avatar though she could stop that from happening. Maybe she could help him restore balance to the four nations and kill the man who ruined her life.</p><p>"Uh...we don't have all day," Sokka said pointing to the ship's soldiers who had gotten back on board.</p><p>Jasmine unfroze and looked at the avatar.</p><p>"I'll come," she decided.</p><p>"Well you better hurry up," Sokka cautioned climbing onto Appa.</p><p>Jasmine ran over to Appa and helped Katara get Aang up as he was still quite weak.</p><p>She struggled to climb onto the creature but Sokka thankfully held out a hand and pulled her up onto the large saddle that covered the bison's back.</p><p>The only person left was Katara.</p><p>The ship's soldiers had gotten up now and we're making their way over to her.</p><p>Katara moved her hands and soon the water left over the deck's floor started coiling around her making the soldiers halt their advance. Jasmine was intrigued, before Aang she had never seen water bending before.</p><p>Katara pushed her hands towards the soldiers but the water splashed to the ground. The soldiers smiled and started to move forwards again, spears raised. But Katara hadn't given up. She raised her arms again and aimed the water at the soldiers. This time it worked covering and freezing them in ice.</p><p>Katara ran away from the frozen soldiers and started climbing onto Appa.</p><p>As soon as Katara got on Sokka yelled, "Yip, Yip," and they started ascending into the sky.</p><p>It looked like they had successfully escaped when suddenly a large ball of fire started hurtling towards them.</p><p>Jasmine thought they were dead for sure until Aang bent air knocking the fire into the side of a glacier, next to the ship, causing a mountain of ice to tumble down on it.</p><p>Jasmine felt her stomach twist and turn as they flew away. Saling was bad enough but being so high up above the earth made her sick.</p><p>Peering down at the now half ice-covered ship she saw Zuko standing there staring back at them. He looked angry, he must have been after losing the avatar, but his features also conveyed shock and hurt as he glared up at her.</p><p>Jasmine's stomach twisted again but not just because of the flying.</p><p>She was free but she might have also lost her friend, and maybe instead made a new enemy. </p><p> </p><p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p><p> </p><p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p><p>Zuko:</p><p> </p><p>He watched in fury as the avatar flew away. He was about to order another attack when he saw Jasmine on the air bison.</p><p>Had she just abandoned him? Betrayed him?</p><p>No, maybe there was another explanation. Maybe she was taken as a prisoner. Maybe they'd tricked her. She couldn't have just left him like that. Didn't she know how he felt, that he needed her-</p><p>Now wasn't the time to think about that. The avatar was alive, and he had to capture him.</p><p>"Good news for the fire lord," Iroh said. "The Fire Nation's greatest threat is just a little kid."</p><p>"That kid, Uncle just did this," Zuko hissed gesturing to the mounds of ice covering the ship.</p><p>"I won't underestimate him again. Dig this ship out and follow them!" he ordered.</p><p> </p><p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p><p> </p><p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p><p>Jasmine:</p><p> </p><p>"How did you do that? With the water. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen!" Katara exclaimed.</p><p>They had been flying for a little now and the sky has turned into an embroidery of colors as the sun began to set.</p><p>Jasmine had remained quiet as they soared above the ocean. She didn't want to say something wrong and it seemed like the others had a lot to talk about.</p><p>"I don't know," Aang said answering Karara's question. "I just sort of did it."</p><p>"Why didn't you tell us you were the avatar?" Katara questioned. They must've not known who Aang really was before he water bended.</p><p>"Because I never wanted to be," he admitted turning his head away.</p><p>"But Aang the world has been waiting for the avatar to return and finally put an end to this war."</p><p>"And how am I going to do that?"</p><p>"According to legend, you need to first master water then earth then fire, right?"</p><p>"That's what the monks told me."</p><p>"Well if we go to the north pole you can master water bending."</p><p>"We can learn it together!" Aang beamed."</p><p>"And Sokka," Katara said turning to him, "I'm sure you'll get to knock some fire bender heads on the way."</p><p>"I'd like that. I'd really like that," he smirked.</p><p>Then Katara turned to face Jasmine. They all did.</p><p>"What about you?" Katara asked.</p><p>Before Jasmine could say anything Sokka yelled, "Wait, wait, wait. You can't possibly expect her to come with us. She could be a Fire Nation spy.</p><p>Jasmine felt hurt but she couldn't exactly blame him. She was a complete stranger. Why should they trust her?</p><p>But Katara only shook her head and sighed, "Sokka you thought Aang was a Fire Nation spy before. Jasmine do you want to come with us, or do you have somewhere you need to be? Family you need to get to?"</p><p>"No," Jasmine muttered. "The Fire Nation destroyed my home and my family."</p><p>Sokka's harsh look softened and Katara's face filled with pity.</p><p>"We understand," she said. "Our mother was killed by the Fire Nation as well. </p><p>"And just so you know we wouldn't mind if you came with us. We're going to need all the help we can get," Aang insisted. </p><p>Jasmine smiled and looked at him, "I would be honored to assist you on your journey."</p><p>"Then we're in this together!" Katara cheered.</p><p>Jasmine couldn't believe it. She was going to help the avatar restore balance to the world. Finally, she felt like she was where she belonged. </p><p> </p><p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Southern Air Temple</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Not going to lie, a bit of a boring chapter. Buuuuut wholesome I guess so please read it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p>
<p>Jasmine:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were flying towards the Southern Air Temple. It was were Aang had grown up and he wanted to see it again.</p>
<p>"It's the Batola mountain range! We're almost there!" he chirped.</p>
<p>"Aang," Katara said, "Before we get to the temple, I want to talk to you about the air benders."</p>
<p>Jasmine knew what Katara was referring to. The Fire Nation had wiped out all the Air Nomads to ensure the avatar wasn't reborn. But Aang still believed that they were alive. Nobody had the strength to tell him that the chances of that were slim.</p>
<p>Katara kept talking to Aang, warning him about what he might see but he wasn't troubled at all.</p>
<p>Jasmine wanted to tell him the truth, that there was no chance that any Air Nomads would have survived. She hated dancing around situations and preferred a more direct approach but Katara had told her that might not be the best idea, so Jasmine remained quiet.</p>
<p>Appa started flying higher and faster up one of the mountains. The wind rushed around them as they soared upwards.</p>
<p>Finally, they made it over the mountain and were able to see the majestic sight before them.</p>
<p>It was a large temple carved into a mountaintop, clouds curling around it. Enormous blue and white towers spiraled out of the cut stone, winding pathways and bridges connecting them all together.</p>
<p>"There it is. The Southern Air Temple," Aang said.</p>
<p>Appa touched down at the base of the temple and Aang started giving them a tour through his home.</p>
<p>It was empty, not a monk or air bison in sight much to Aang's disappointment. Despite this he ran ahead of Jasmine, Katara, and Sokka, telling them stories of his days there.</p>
<p>"Katara fire benders were here. You can't pretend they weren't," Sokka whispered not wanting Aang to hear.</p>
<p>Earlier when Sokka had played airball with Aang to cheer him up, Jasmine and Katara had found an old Fire Nation soldier helmet. There had definitely been a raid here.</p>
<p>Jasmine and Sokka had wanted to show Aang but Katara had hidden it.</p>
<p>"I can for Aang's sake," she said quietly. "If he finds out the Fire Nation has invaded his home he'll be devastated.</p>
<p>"But he deserves to know the truth. It is his home after all. Besides, he'll have to find out one way or another and it'll be better if he hears it from his friends," Jasmine insisted.</p>
<p>Katara was about to say something when Aang interrupted showing them a statue of an old monk that had apparently taught him all he knew about air bending.</p>
<p>They continued their tour to the air temple's sanctuary. Inside there were hundreds of statues of the previous avatars.</p>
<p>Jasmine walked down the aisles of statues, looking at each of the old avatars. There was something strange about them, it was almost as if she could feel their power and hear the echoes of each of their ancient past lives.</p>
<p>All of a sudden, a figure started walking into the sanctuary.</p>
<p>Jasmine, Sokka, Katara, and Aang all hid behind the statues as the person got closer and closer.</p>
<p>Sokka signaled to the rest of them. He held out his hand and started counting down from three with his fingers. On one they all burst out from behind the statues to confront the person.</p>
<p>Except it wasn't a person. It was a lemur.</p>
<p>Sokka and Aang started chasing after the creature. Sokka wanted to catch it for dinner but Aang wanted to make it into his new pet.</p>
<p>Katara was shaking her head but Jasmine started laughing. The situation was just too funny.</p>
<p>But then the statues started glowing.</p>
<p>"What's happening?" Jasmine asked.</p>
<p>"It must be Aang," Katara said, panicked.</p>
<p>They both started running in the direction the boys had taken off in.</p>
<p>Finally, they found them but Aang was floating, air violently swirling around him, his eyes and tattoos glowing.</p>
<p>Jasmine's long brown hair and dust whipped in front of her face from the air making it difficult to see.</p>
<p>"What happened?" Katara yelled over the deafening wind.</p>
<p>"He found out fire benders killed his monk friends," Sokka shouted.</p>
<p>Oh no, thought Jasmine. Aang must be feeling so hurt right now. She knew what the feeling was like. She had felt it when her parents died, and her village had been destroyed.</p>
<p>Jasmine watched as Katara stumbled towards Aang.</p>
<p>"Aang, I know you're upset. And I know how hard it is to lose the people you love," she yelled. "The other air benders may be gone but you still have a family. Sokka, Jasmine, and I, we're your family now.</p>
<p>The wind stopped and Aang floated to the ground.</p>
<p>The others made their way to him and held onto him.</p>
<p>"Don't worry. We're not going to let anything happen to you. Promise." Sokka said.</p>
<p>"We're in this together Aang," Jasmine swore.</p>
<p>Aang stopped glowing and collapsed to the ground.</p>
<p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p>
<p>Aang had regained his strength from earlier and they were packed up and ready to leave.</p>
<p>"Katara, Sokka, Jasmine. Say hello to the newest member of our family, Momo," Aang said gesturing to the lemur, a smile on his face. </p>
<p>He was still hurt from what he discovered about the Air Nomads but at least he was smiling again. Jasmine knew that he wouldn't ever stop hurting but eventually, that hurt would fade a little.</p>
<p>Jasmine thought about what Aang had just said and what Katara had said earlier. They were a family. Something warm flowered in her chest. She hadn't had anyone to call family in a long time.</p>
<p>Except for Iroh and Zuko. Hadn't they been her family? If they were then she had just betrayed them. What kind of person betrays their family? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Warriors of Kyoshi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Badass Kyoshi Warriors and Jasmine confronts Zuko.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p><p>Jasmine:</p><p> </p><p>The group had just touched down on an island.</p><p>And they had barely been there five minutes before Aang had managed to get himself into trouble.</p><p>The young avatar thought it would be a great idea to go swimming with elephant koi but instead encountered a giant sea monster. Fortunately, he had gotten out of the water in time.</p><p>"What was that thing?" Jasmine asked.</p><p>"I don't know," Aang muttered, still a little shaken from the incident.</p><p>"Well, let's not stick around and find out. Time to hit the road!" Sokka said, wiping his hand together.</p><p>But before they could go anywhere green-clad warriors fell from the trees surrounding them. They were swift and in a matter of seconds the warriors had blindfolded and tied up the group</p><p>"Or we could stay awhile..." Jasmine heard Sokka squeak.</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>The group was all tied to a giant statue.</p><p>"You three have some explaining to do," a man's voice said. Jasmine tried to gain hints from who their captors might be but couldn't find out much as she was still blindfolded.</p><p>"And if you don't answer all our questions, we're throwing you back in the water with the unagi," another voice said. Female this time.</p><p>"Show yourselves, cowards," Sokka yelled.</p><p>Jasmine mentally face-palmed. Sokka wasn't very good a shutting up. But their blindfolds were taken off and she got a first good look at the people who attacked them.</p><p>It was the same green-clad warriors from before but now Jasmine could properly see them. They were all young women, their faces painted white with red around their eyes and mouths, and they all carried fans in their waistbands. Behind them was a large crowd of village people all gazing intently at them.</p><p>"Who are you? Where are the men who ambushed us?" Sokka demanded, straining at his bonds.  </p><p>"There were no men. We ambushed you. Now tell us, who are you and what are you doing here!" said the same female voice from before. She wore the same outfit as the rest of the warriors and had cropped brown hair. She stood in front of the warriors; she must've been their leaders.</p><p>Sokka started laughing. "Wait, a second, there's no way that a bunch of girls took us down."</p><p>Just great, thought Jasmine. Sokka's going to get us all killed.</p><p>The warrior grabbed a hold of Sokka's coat. "A bunch of girls, huh? The unagi's going to eat well tonight."</p><p>"No, don't hurt him! He didn't mean it. My brother is just an idiot sometimes," Katara said quickly.</p><p>"Yeah. We're just passing through. We mean no harm," Jasmine assured.</p><p>The old man who spoke before stepped forward. "How do we know you're not Fire Nation spies? Kyoshi stayed out of the war so far. And we intend to keep it that way!"</p><p>"This island is named for Kyoshi? I know Kyoshi!" Aang said.</p><p>"Ha! How could you possibly know her? Avatar Kyoshi was born here four hundred years ago. She's been dead for centuries," the man sneered.</p><p>"I know her because I'm the Avatar."</p><p>Aang broke his bonds with air bending and shot himself up into the air. He backflipped over the statue he had previously been tied to and landed gracefully on the ground.</p><p>"It's true... you are the Avatar!" the man exclaimed in shock and the crowd behind him started cheering. </p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>Jasmine was stuffing her face.</p><p>The villagers were all so excited to see the avatar that they had made the group their guests of honor which had many benefits. Such as the large feast they had set before them for breakfast.</p><p>Jasmine knew she would probably regret eating so much food later but didn't really care at the moment. Consequences were future problems.</p><p>"Sokka, what's wrong? Eat!" Aang said. He too was taking advantage of the tasty meal.</p><p>Sokka was sitting hunched and glowering in the corner of the room.</p><p>"Not hungry," he grumbled.</p><p>"But you're always hungry!"</p><p>Jasmine had to admit that it was weird Sokka was eating. The boy had a bottomless stomach.</p><p>"He's just upset because a bunch of girls kicked his butt yesterday," Katara snickered.</p><p>"They snuck up on me!" Sokka argued.</p><p>"Right. And then they kicked your butt."</p><p>Jasmine couldn't help but laugh a little.</p><p>"Sneak attacks don't count!" he yelled. </p><p>Sokka started pacing around the room, mumbling nonsense. "Tie me up with ropes! I'll show them a thing or two. I'm not scared of any girls. Who do they think they are anyway?"</p><p>He finally stormed out of the room.</p><p>Jasmine sighed a got up to follow him.</p><p>"Are you all right?" Jasmine asked, jogging to catch up with him.</p><p>"No! I am not okay. I am meant to be a warrior but so far everyone I've come across has beaten me. Even girls."</p><p>"Okay, okay. One, believe it or not, girls are actually capable of fighting, sometimes they are even better at it than boys. And two, I know what that's like. I was unable to protect the children of my village when the Fire Nation attacked. I felt weak and useless but that doesn't mean I am. Sokka just because the Kyoshi warriors bested you doesn't mean you are," Jasmine said.</p><p>"I know that! I'm not weak. I'm not useless and I am going to prove it!" Sokka said stomping ahead.</p><p>"Where are you going?" Jasmine questioned.</p><p>"To find the Kyoshi warriors."</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>Jasmine and Sokka made it to a large wooden dojo. Inside the Kyoshi warriors, we're practicing.</p><p>"Sorry ladies! Didn't mean to interrupt your dance lesson. I was just looking for somewhere to get a little workout," Sokka said, stretching.</p><p>Jasmine mentally face-palmed again.</p><p>"Well, you're in the right place," the leader said. "And sorry about yesterday. I didn't know that you were friends with the Avatar."</p><p>"It's all right. I mean, normally I'd hold a grudge, but seeing as you guys are a bunch of girls, I'll make an exception."</p><p>Jasmine face-palmed but this time for real.</p><p>"I should hope so. A big strong man like you? We wouldn't stand a chance," the leader drawled. It was obvious that she was being sarcastic but Sokka didn't notice.</p><p>"True. But don't feel bad. After all, I'm the best warrior in my village," he boasted.</p><p>"Wow! Best warrior, huh? In your whole village? Maybe you'd be kind enough to give us a little demonstration."</p><p>"Oh... well... I mean... I..." Sokka blubbered.</p><p>The leader turned around to the other warriors, "Come on, girls! Wouldn't you like him to show us some moves?"</p><p>They all started giggling and nodding in agreement.</p><p>"Well, if that's what you want, I'd be happy to. All right, you stand over there. This may be a little tough but try to block me," Sokka said.</p><p>He stepped forward trying to throw a punch but the leader blocked it effortlessly with a deft thrust of her fan to his shoulder.</p><p>"Heh heh... good. Of course, I was going easy on you," Sokka stuttered.</p><p>"Of course," the leader smirked, voice still dripping with sarcasm.</p><p>"Let's see if you can handle this!"</p><p>Sokka lunged at the girl but she easily caught him under his leg and tossed him backward toward the door causing him to land on his butt.</p><p>"That does it!" Sokka fumed.</p><p>He got up and lunged at the leader again. But Jasmine already knew Sokka wasn't going to win the fight.</p><p>The girl grabbed him by the arm, spun him around in circles, tied his arm to his foot with his own belt, and threw him to the floor.</p><p>She stood over him chuckling, "Anything else you want to teach us?"</p><p>Sokka's face flushed in humiliation as all the warriors joined in with the laughing.</p><p>Jasmine shook her head and went to untie Sokka. She helped him off the ground and lead him out the door but stayed inside.</p><p>"I'm sorry about him he can get a bit...eh...sometimes," she said, turning to the warriors. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself before. My name's Jasmine." She bowed for the warriors.</p><p>The leader uncrossed her arms and bowed as well.</p><p>"I'm Suki. You seem to have a lot more manners then your friend," she stated.</p><p>"I know it might come off like that sometimes, but he has a big heart and believe it or not a brain. Sometimes he just forgets to use it. I am sure he didn't mean to disrespect you," Jasmine explained.</p><p>Suki raised an eyebrow, "I highly doubt that."</p><p>Sokka walked into the dojo nervously. Apparently, he had been eavesdropping their conversation.</p><p>"Uh... hey, Suki," he mumbled.</p><p>"Hoping for another dance lesson?" she questioned.</p><p>"No... I... well, let me explain."</p><p>"Spit it out! What do you want?"</p><p>Sokka sighed and kneeled before the warriors. "I would be honored if you would teach me."</p><p>Jasmine smiled. She knew he would do the right thing.</p><p>"Even if I'm a girl?" Suki asked.</p><p>"I'm sorry if I insulted you earlier. I was wrong."</p><p>"We normally don't teach outsiders, let alone boys."</p><p>"Please make an exception. I won't let you down."</p><p>"All right, but you have to follow all of our traditions"</p><p>"Of course!"</p><p>Suki grinned wickedly, "And I mean ALL of them."</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>Jasmine and Sokka were both wearing the same outfit as the Kyoshi warriors.</p><p>Jasmine had also asked to join in on the training and Suki had agreed. Jasmine had figured that if she was going to be facing off against the Fire Nation that some hand to hand combat would come in handy.</p><p>"Do I really have to wear this? It feels a little... girly," Sokka asked. He wasn't very uncomfortable in the clothes and makeup.</p><p>"It's a warrior's uniform. You should be proud," said Suki. "The silk threads symbolize the brave blood that flows through our veins. The gold insignia represents the honor of the warrior's heart."</p><p>Sokka smiled and stood proudly, "Bravery and honor."</p><p>All of a sudden Aang walked by the dojo. He turned and ducked his head in smiling.</p><p>"Hey, Sokka! Nice dress!" he said, genuinely before walking off.</p><p>Sokka groaned and Jasmine started giggling.</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>It was late afternoon.</p><p>Suki had been training Jasmine and Sokka for hours now.</p><p>Jasmine easily picked up the skills as she had been trained in a lot of similar sets when she was a kid by her parents. Sokka on the other hand had taken a lot longer to get a hang of it. Although he was slowly but surely starting to come along.</p><p>"I think I'm starting to get it," Sokka said.</p><p>He was trying to practice the moves but at the end of a set, he accidentally threw his fan out the dojo's door and into a tree.</p><p>Suki walked towards Sokka. "It's not about strength. Our technique is about using your opponents' force against them. Loosen up. Think of the fan as an extension of your arm. Wait for an opening and then..."</p><p>Suki sprung at Sokka, but he actually managed to parry the thrust, knocking her off her feet</p><p>Suki got up, flustered. "I fell on purpose to make you feel better!"</p><p>"I got you! Admit I got you!" Sokka said, pointing his hand at her.</p><p>Suki grabbed Sokka's outstretched hand and bent it back, painfully while laughing.</p><p>"Okay, it was a lucky shot. Let's see if you can do it again."</p><p>She let go of Sokka's arm, but they didn't start training immediately. Instead, they stood close and stared into each other's eyes.</p><p>Jasmine cleared her throat. "Umm...am I interrupting something?"</p><p>The two immediately jumped away from each other and assumed battle positions.</p><p>They weren't too long into sparring when a man from the village burst into the dojo.</p><p>"Fire benders have landed on our shores! Girls come quickly!" he shouted.</p><p>Suki ran after the man, Jasmine and Sokka following.</p><p>"Come out, Avatar! You can't hide from me forever!" Jasmine heard some announce, Zuko.</p><p>He was here.</p><p>Jasmine saw Zuko's soldiers advance into the village, searching for the avatar.</p><p>Suddenly the other Kyoshi warriors attacked the men.</p><p>Jasmine watched as Suki ran up directly to Zuko, fans ready. She jumped and was about to land an attack on him when he knocked her out of the air.</p><p>Zuko aimed a fire blast at her but luckily Sokka made it in time to deflect it. Another warrior attacked Zuko forcing him to the ground.</p><p>Jasmine ran to Suki and helped her to her feet. She couldn't believe Zuko did that. Defending yourself was one thing but that fire blast could have killed her.</p><p>Jasmine looked at Zuko and was surprised that he hadn't noticed her yet. It must've been because of the makeup she was wearing.</p><p>Sokka, Suki, and another Kyoshi warrior surrounded the prone Zuko but he spun around on his hands shooting firebolts out of his feet at them knocking them all to the ground.</p><p>Zuko got up and walked into the middle of the village's street.</p><p>"Nice try, Avatar! But these little girls can't save you."</p><p>"Hey, hothead!" Jasmine called out.</p><p>Zuko whirled around to face her.</p><p>"Jasmine!" he gasped. "Are you okay? Did they capture you?"</p><p>Jasmine walked towards him. "They didn't capture me. I chose to go with them."</p><p>"But I don't understand. It's the avatar, they are traitors!"</p><p>Jasmine stopped in front of Zuko.</p><p>"They are my friends. You have to understand. We could bring balance back to the world. I know it's hard for you to believe but Fire Nation doesn't help people, it hurts them. If you come with us, you could stop that."</p><p>Jasmine put a hand on his face, shining eyes pleading, "Please Zuko, come with me."</p><p>But Zuko only started backing away from her.</p><p>"No...NO! How could you do this! You are a traitor!" he yelled.</p><p>Jasmine felt tears slide down her cheeks.</p><p>"Please Zuko," she whispered.</p><p>"I'm sorry Jasmine," he said lighting a flame in his hand.</p><p>Out of nowhere, Aang jumped in between Zuko and Jasmine.</p><p>Jasmine ran off and hid behind a burning house, watching as the avatar and the banished prince fought.</p><p>Zuko let loose three fireballs from his hands. Aang dodged them and spinning his staff around he flew towards Zuko. The prince shot another blast of fire, which managed to knock Aang's staff out of his hands. The avatar leaped away and picked up two discarded fans from the ground. Zuko ran towards him but Aang used the fans to throw an enormous gust of air, knocking him through the wall of a building.</p><p>Seeing the fight was over Jasmine got out from behind the building.</p><p>She spotted Appa in the distance, Aang, and Katara already on top.</p><p>She ran and climbed onto the air bison. Sokka not too far behind her.</p><p>Once they were all on Aang yelled, "Appa, yip yip!"</p><p>The bison grunted and flew out of the burning town.</p><p>"I know it's hard, but you did the right thing. Zuko would have destroyed the whole place if we had stayed. They're going to be okay, Aang," Katara said.</p><p>Without a word, Aang suddenly dived off of Appa's head into the bay at the base of the island.</p><p>The group watched in horror as Aang disappeared under the water.</p><p>Seconds went by until the unagi bursts out of the water, Aang riding on it much to Jasmine's shock.</p><p>Aang had a hold of both of the unagi's whiskers and forces its head towards the burning town of Kyoshi. He pulled back on the whiskers and the giant sea creature spewed water over the town. The stream continuing long enough to put out the fires Zuko and his soldiers had created.</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>Jasmine watched as Kyoshi island shrunk as they flew further away. Katara had noticed the tears on her face. </p><p>"Are you okay?" she asked.</p><p>Jasmine shook her head.</p><p>"I thought he was my friend," she choked.</p><p>"You mean Zuko," Aang said. "I saw what happened. You're sad about what he did."</p><p>"No," Jasmine seethed. "I am very, very mad."</p><p>She glared at the disappearing island, almost as if trying to glare at Zuko himself.</p><p>"And I am going to make sure he doesn't hurt anybody ever again."</p><p> </p><p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Winter Solstice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lava. Bending.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p><p>Zuko:</p><p> </p><p>Jasmine was a traitor. </p><p>He couldn't believe it. Even now he felt as if she would pop into his quarters any minute making some snarky remake. He could still hear her laugh, still see her glowing eyes.</p><p>Ugggh! Why was he still thinking of her! She had chosen her side. She was his enemy now. </p><p>This was all the avatar's fault. Now he had more reason than ever to capture the last air bender. </p><p> </p><p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p><p> </p><p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p><p>Jasmine:</p><p> </p><p>It had been an insane past few days.</p><p>They had arrived at the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu and the city's King forced Aang to face three deadly challenges. The King turned out to be Aang's old friend, Bumi, from a hundred years ago. Then they got themselves arrested to an earth bender named Haru and his people from a Fire Nation prison. And THEN Sokka had been kidnapped by some angry spirit monster. Thankfully, Aang had managed to make amends with the Spirit and Sokka and the other people the spirit had taken were returned.</p><p>Now they were in the Fire Nation to get Aang to some ancient temple before nightfall so he could communicate with the spirit of one of his past lives. Geez, thought Jasmine, what have I gotten myself into?</p><p>"This it is! The island Roku's spirit dragon took me to!" Aang said.</p><p>They were on a small, crescent-shaped island. In the center of the crescent was a large, active volcano, fire, and steam belching forth from its cone. Lava ran down its sides. Lava just like Jasmine's parents used to bend. Just like she used to-</p><p>Jasmine didn't let herself think about it. They were on a mission, they had to get Aang to the temple.</p><p>The gang walked up a large stone pathway that led to the large red and golden temple. Behind them, the sun was beginning to set. They didn't have much time left.</p><p>Once they had made it into the temple they began searching around.</p><p>"Wait......I think I heard something," Jasmine said.</p><p>The gang turned around and before them was a group of elderly men dressed in red robes.</p><p>One of them stepped forward. "We are the Fire Sages. Guardians of the temple of the Avatar."</p><p>"Great! I am the Avatar," Aang stated.</p><p>"We know," the fire sage scowled.</p><p>The sages assumed a stance and started blasting fire at them.</p><p>Aang bent low and swiped his leg in an arc sending a burst of air directly at the feet of the Fire Sages, knocking them to the floor.</p><p>The gang started running through the labyrinth of corridors that made up the temple.</p><p>Suddenly one of the sages appeared before them. "I don't want to fight you. I am a friend."</p><p>"Fire benders aren't our friends," Sokka snapped.</p><p>But the sage continued approaching them. He dropped to his knees and bowed before Aang.</p><p>"My name is Shyu and I know why you're here Avatar," he said.</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>Shyu was leading them through a secret passageway inside the temple. He had known Aang wanted to talk to Avatar Roku and said he could take them to him.</p><p>"Avatar Roku once called this temple his home. He formed these secret passages out of the magma," Shyu explained.</p><p>"Roku could bend lava?" Jasmine asked.</p><p>Shyu nodded. "A few avatars could. Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi, and Avatar Yangchen but even for the avatars being able to bend lava is extremely rare. The use of earth in a liquid state turns earth bending into something closer to water bending, it requires more fluid movements. But at the same time, the bender must also have the heat and passion of fire bending and like fire, if left unattended magma can spread and cause more damage. Those who can master lava are truly gifted benders."</p><p>They continued walking and as they did Aang kept asking Shyu questions about Ruko and the avatars.</p><p>Finally, they made it to the sanctuary where Aang could speak to Ruko but the doors to it were closed.</p><p>Apparently only a fully realized Avatar could be powerful enough to open the door alone. Otherwise, the Sages had to open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts.</p><p>Sokka tried to unlock the doors with explosives but it didn't work.</p><p>"I don't get it," he said. "That blast looked as strong as any fire bending, I've seen."</p><p>"Sokka! You're a genius!" Katara beamed.</p><p>"Wait, how exactly is Sokka a genius? His plan didn't even work," Jasmine said.</p><p>"You're right. Sokka's plan didn't work...but it looks like it did."</p><p>Jasmine finally understood what Katara was saying. If the sages thought Aang had entered the sanctuary then they would open the doors themselves to stop him, allowing him to sneak in.</p><p>The gang hid behind the temple's pillars as the other sages made it to the room. Once they thought that the avatar was already inside, they blasted the door with fire, opening it.</p><p>Jasmine, Katara, and Sokka burst out from behind the pillars and attacked the fire sages, Shyu helping them.</p><p>"Now Aang!" Shyu yelled.</p><p>But Zuko emerged from behind the pillar, holding Aang's arms tightly behind his back.</p><p>"The Avatar's coming with me!" the prince said.</p><p>The fire sages managed to defeat the rest of the gang and started tying them to a pillar.</p><p>"Close the doors! Quickly!" Zuko yelled.</p><p>But Aang started swerving around, knocking Zuko off balance. He quickly ran towards the closing doors of the sanctuary managing to sail through them just before they shut.</p><p>The sages and Zuko shot five simultaneous fire blasts at the doors. This time, however, the doors did not open.</p><p>"Why isn't it working? It's sealed shut!" Zuko fumed.</p><p>"It must have been the light. Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside," one of the fire sages said.</p><p>"Open the door!" Zuko demanded.</p><p>Jasmine started laughing bitterly, "You just don't give up do you." </p><p>Zuko turned to face her, eyes blazing but Jasmine wasn't scared, she gazed back at him with the same ferocity.</p><p>Before Zuko could say something, a Fire Nation commander walked into the room followed by other Fire nation soldiers.</p><p>One of the sages bowed before the man, "Commander Zhao..."</p><p>A Fire Nation soldier moved towards Zuko and grabbed him.</p><p>"You're too late, Zhao. The Avatar's inside and the doors are sealed," the prince said.</p><p>"No matter. Sooner or later, he has to come out," Zhao goaded, smiling cruelly. "When those doors open, unleash all your firepower."</p><p>Suddenly the doors opened, a blinding white light shone from inside the sanctuary, smoke billowing out onto the floor.</p><p>"Fire!" Zhao ordered and started blasting flames.</p><p>But in between the sanctuary doors stood the form of Avatar Roku. He drew the fire back towards himself and shot it out into the room, knocking Zhao and his soldiers to the floor and melting the chains holding Sokka, Katara, Shyu, and Jasmine.</p><p>"Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple! We have to get out of here!" Shyu warned.</p><p>Avatar Roku raised his arm and brung it down on the floor of the temple. The force of his strike rendered the floor and molten lava started rising to the surface. Roku lifted it up, pulling lava from deep within the volcano causing a wall of magma to burst up through the temple's entire structure.</p><p>Zhao, his soldiers, and Zuko seemed to already be running away.</p><p>Suddenly the attack stooped. The smoke cleared to show Aang in the entryway to the sanctuary.</p><p>The rest of the gang rushed to Aang helping him up. Once he was okay they ran through the corridors of the temple trying to escape but lava blocked their path.</p><p>"We're trapped!" Sokka shouted.</p><p>Magma inched closer to them. Sokka was right they were going to be swallowed by the liquid fire.</p><p>Jasmine had to do something.</p><p>She closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and raised her hands upwards. The lava began to float up around her. The magma swirled and glowed in the air. She then moved her hands directing the lava and then pushing it out the temple's wall, creating an escape for them.</p><p>Appa flew to the hole Jasmine had created and the gang leaped onto him.</p><p>"You're an earth bender!" Katara exclaimed once they were far enough away from the sinking temple.</p><p>"Not just that, you're a lava bender!" Sokka sputtered.</p><p>"Why didn't you tell us?" Katara asked.</p><p>"Because I didn't know I still could," Jasmine whispered still in shock over what she just did.</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"I haven't bended in years. I thought any power I used to have was gone."</p><p>"This is amazing!" Sokka cheered, "With the avatar and a lava bender on our team the Fire Nation doesn't stand a chance!"</p><p>"Hey what about me!" Katara said elbowing Sokka.</p><p>Jasmine laughed.</p><p>She was so happy to have bended again. Bending wasn't just a cool power; it was a part of you. Without it, she felt like something was missing.</p><p>But now she felt complete. </p><p> </p><p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Water Bending Scroll</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Drama. Angst. Yep.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>╔═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╗</p><p>Jasmine:</p><p> </p><p>"Would you sit down? If we hit a bump, you'll go flying off! What's bugging you anyway?" Sokka asked.</p><p>Aang had been pacing around on Appa's back non-stop ever since they got back from the temple.</p><p>"It's what Avatar Roku said. I'm supposed to master all four elements before that comet arrives," Aang said.</p><p>Sozin's comet which was meant to grant fire benders unimaginable power.</p><p>"Well, let's see, you've pretty much mastered air bending, and that only took you 112 years... I'm sure you can master three more elements by next summer."</p><p>"I haven't even started water bending and we're still weeks away from the North Pole! What am I going to do!?"</p><p>Katara stood up and put a hand on Aang's shoulders. "Calm down. It's going to be okay. If you want, I can try and teach you some of the stuff I know."</p><p>"And I can teach you some earth bending basics. Though I'm going to need some time to practice them again as well," Jasmine offered.</p><p>"You'd do that?" Aang asked.</p><p>Jasmine and Katara nodded their heads.</p><p>"We'll need to find a good source of water first," she said.</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>The gang had managed to find a clearing with a large waterfall that connected to a river. Katara was showing Aang some water bending forms and Sokka was cleaning Appa.</p><p>Jasmine herself had found a nice level patch of earth and began going through some of the first things her parents had taught her.</p><p>She stomped on the ground and pulled her hand upwards causing a  chunk of earth to be shot out of the ground. Keeping a low and strong stance rooted to the ground, she then pushed her hand forward launching the earth ahead.</p><p>Jasmine groaned in frustration. While she had gotten the move correct it wasn't nearly as powerful as it had been when she was younger. The chunk of earth had barely been more than a pebble. She tried again but yielded the same results.</p><p>Jasmine looked over at the others. Katara looked upset about something and Sokka was floating around in the water. Apparently Aang had accidentally water bent all their supplies down the river though that wasn't what Katara seemed unhappy about. Jasmine wondered what was wrong.</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>They all had decided to go shopping for supplies and ended up at a bustling port village similar to the many ones Jasmine visited when she was traveling with Zuko.</p><p>"We've got exactly three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. Let's spend it wisely," Sokka said.</p><p>"Uhm, make that two copper pieces. I couldn't say no to this whistle!" Aang defended.</p><p>Jasmine sighed. Maybe letting a twelve-year-old boy hold the money wasn't such a smart idea, even if he was the avatar.</p><p>They continued walking around the port, stopping to check out a shop inside a ship. It was full of all sorts of strange curiosities such as a jeweled statue of a monkey, weird vases, and old scrolls.</p><p>In the corner of the room, the ship's captain watched them, an iguana parrot on his shoulder.</p><p>Katara and Jasmine walked over to scrolls. One of them, the thinnest, had the symbol of water on its end. Katara opened it and saw the instructions on how to perform various water bending moves.</p><p>"Look at this! It's a water bending scroll. Check out these crazy moves!" Katara said.</p><p>"Where did you get a water bending scroll?" Jasmine asked the captain.</p><p>The captain snatched the scroll off Katara. "Let's just say I got it up north at a most reasonable price. Free!"</p><p>"Waaait a minute," Sokka drawled. "Sea-loving traders...with suspiciously acquired merchandise...and pet reptile birds...You guys are pirates!"</p><p>The captain smiled cruelly, "We prefer to think of ourselves as high-risk traders."</p><p>Katara and Aang started trying to bargain with the pirate for the scroll but clearly it was not for sale.</p><p>Defeated they left the ship but as they did Jasmine noticed Katara acting very suspiciously.</p><p>They weren't too far away from the ship when the pirates started yelling and chasing after them with swords.</p><p>The gang started running, trying to get as far away as possible from the pirates.</p><p>As they were running Jasmine spotted a cart full of cabbages blocking their path, a merchant standing next to it lovingly nuzzling a cabbage. She recognized the man from Omashu.</p><p>Not having time to find a different path Jasmine used the same earth bending move she was practicing before to obliterate the cart and clear their way.</p><p>"MY CABBAGES!" Jasmine heard the merchant yell as she continued sprinting forward, not pausing until she was certain the pirates were gone.</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>The gang had made it back to the waterfall and were all resting from their escape.</p><p>"I used to kind of look up to pirates, but those guys are terrible," Aang exclaimed.</p><p>"I know, that's why I took – this!" Katara said pulling a water bending scroll out of her robes.</p><p>"No wonder they were trying to cut us up. You stole their water bending scroll!" Sokka yelled clearly upset.</p><p>"I prefer to think of it as "high-risk trading," Katara smirked. "And besides where do you think they got it? They stole it from a water bender."</p><p>"It doesn't matter. You put all of our lives in danger just so you could learn some stupid, fancy splashes!"</p><p>"I have to agree with Sokka," Jasmine said. "We almost got sliced into pieces by pirates."</p><p>"These are real water bending forms. You know how crucial it is for Aang to learn water bending," Katara argued but Jasmine felt like she wanted the scroll for herself, not Aang.</p><p>Katara and Aang started practicing the moves on the scroll.</p><p>"I just want to try this one move first and then it's all yours," Katara told Aang.</p><p>She looked at the scroll and picked out a move. Following it she raised a stream of water from the river and whipped it around, but it ended up backfiring and hitting her in the forehead.</p><p>Sokka started laughing</p><p>"I'm sorry, but you deserve that." Sokka turned to Aang. "You've been duped. She's only interested in teaching herself."</p><p>"Aang will get his turn once I figure out the water whip!" Katara yelled.</p><p>She tried again but the water started snapping around uncontrollably before splashing to the ground.</p><p>"Why can't I get this stupid move!" Katara fumed.</p><p>"You'll get it," Aang said. "You just got to shift your weight through the stances..." Aang raised the water and perfectly performed the move with ease. "There. See, the key to bending is-"</p><p>But Katara cut Aang off. "Will you PLEASE shut your air hole! Believe it or not, your infinite wisdom gets a little old sometimes. Why don't we just throw the scroll away since you're so naturally gifted!"</p><p>Aang looked at Katara terrified, almost on the verge of tears.</p><p>"Aang, I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me," Katara apologized before turning around and walking off, visibly upset at what she had done.</p><p>Jasmine got up and followed her.</p><p>As she walked after Katara she noticed how dark it was, stars flickered above, and the crescent moon shone brightly.</p><p>Jasmine saw Katara practicing water bending from the scroll.</p><p>"Shoot! Come on water, work with me here!" she yelled.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Jasmine asked.</p><p>Katara whirled around, water splashing to the ground, she hadn't heard Jasmine following her.</p><p>"No. I am not alright," Katara grumbled. "Those water bending moves took me forever to figure out then Aang just masters them in a few seconds.</p><p>"Well he is the avatar," Jasmine said.</p><p>"That doesn't make it any less frustrating."</p><p>"Look I understand how frustrating that must be. How do you think I feel right now? I can barely bend or at least not how I used to. Katara you are still new to bending and I am sure that the more you learn, the more powerful you'll get. There's something special about you Katara, I know you'll become a great bender"</p><p>Katara sighed, "Thank you. Still, I wish this scroll was a better teacher."</p><p>Jasmine chuckled and pulled Katara into a hug.</p><p>Suddenly the noise of grinding metal started. The girls stepped away from each other and went to inspect where the noise had come from. They walked over to a row of bushes and parted them to reveal Zuko's ship now beached on the riverbank. They both turned to run but before them were two of the pirates from earlier. They grabbed the girls, restraining them</p><p>"No, let go of me!" Katara yelled and bent a water whip around, smacking the pirates in the face, making them let go of her and Jasmine.</p><p>They started running again but in front of them was Zuko.</p><p>Before she could stop herself Jasmine accidentally ran into Zuko's arms. He grabbed her wrists pulling her to him.</p><p>Next to her, another pirate held Katara back by her hands so she couldn't bend.</p><p>"Don't worry," Zuko whispered into Jasmine's ear. "I'll save you from the pirates."</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>Jasmine and Katara were bound to the trunks of two trees next to the bank of the river, the same pirate ship from earlier and Zuko's ship docked before them. </p><p>Zuko was questioning Katara. He offered to return her mother's necklace for the avatar. Katara had lost it days ago in the Fire Nation prison, Zuko must have found it. Katara didn't tell him anything though. </p><p>Zuko moved to Jasmine. </p><p>"Hello," he said.</p><p>"Go jump in the river," she hissed.</p><p>Zuko sighed. "It's not too late for you. Tell me where the avatar is and you will be forgiven."</p><p>Jasmine just shook her head, "I can't believe that for years I thought YOU were my friend."</p><p>Zuko walked towards her and brushed back the long brown strands of hair covering her face but she turned her head away.</p><p>"We can be friends again. Just tell me where the avatar is," he said.</p><p>Jasmine looked up at him, her eyes locking with his eyes...and spat on his face.</p><p>"I'm not telling you anything!" she yelled. </p><p>Zuko stumbled back wiping his face. </p><p>He groaned in frustration, fire lighting around him. </p><p>"You're nothing but a filthy traitor!" he snarled. </p><p>"And you're nothing but a heartless monster!" she shouted back. </p><p>Zuko took a deep breath and the fire around him vanished.</p><p>"It doesn't matter what you think. The pirates are searching the woods for your friends. Soon enough I'll have the avatar," he said and walked away from her.</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>Jasmine was struggling with the rope tied around her hands. If only her bending was good enough, then she would be able to free herself. </p><p>Someone came down from Zuko's ship. It was Iroh.</p><p>"Jasmine!" he called walking to her. "How are you?"</p><p>She smiled. "Oh, just a little bit TIED UP at the moment. I can't say I am having the best time, Zuko isn't exactly minding his manners right now.</p><p>"She's right you know. You really should show more hospitality towards your guests," Iroh said to Zuko.</p><p>"They are not guests, they're prisoners!" he snapped.</p><p>Suddenly the pirates walked out from the woods.</p><p>Zuko smiled. "And speaking of prisoners."</p><p>"No!" Katara yelled.</p><p>The pirates had Aang and Sokka. </p><p>"Give me the boy," Zuko demanded. </p><p>The pirate captain crossed his arms. "You give us the scroll. "</p><p>"You're really gonna hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchment? I'll bet he'll fetch a lot more on the black market then that fancy scroll," Sokka said.</p><p>At first, Jasmine was confused. Was Sokka trying to get them killed faster? But then she understood. He was trying to turn the pirates and Zuko against each other.</p><p>"Keep the scroll! We can buy a hundred with the reward we will get for the kid," the pirate captain stated.</p><p>Zuko's eyes narrowed. "You'll regret breaking a deal with me!"</p><p>The prince and the soldiers started attacking each other. Amongst all the chaos Aang and Sokka escaped. They made their way over to Jasmine and Katara and untied them. </p><p>The gang seemed like they were about to escape when some of the Fire Nation soldiers surrounded them.</p><p>It looked like they were outmatched.</p><p>Aang blew his weirdly shaped whistle from before.</p><p>At first, nothing happened then Appa swooped down pushing down the soldiers.</p><p>The gang climbed onto the bison and flew away.</p><p>:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:••:۞:</p><p>Jasmine watched the clouds as they soared by.</p><p>"I'm sorry," she whispered.</p><p>The gang turned to her.</p><p>"Why?" Katara asked. "If anything what happened was my fault. I shouldn't have snuck away."</p><p>"I was powerless! I should've been able to save you but I couldn't. I'm weak."</p><p>Katara put a hand on Jasmine's shoulder. </p><p>"It's like what you told me. The more you learn, the more powerful you will become. Your bending will come back to you, better than before."</p><p>Katara hugged her and then Sokka and Aang joined in.</p><p>Jasmine was determined to become powerful. Powerful enough to help save the world and defeat Zuko.</p><p> </p><p>╚═━────━▒ ۞ ▒━────━═╝</p>
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